Michelin Guide Restaurants in Phuket: Two Rooftop Dining Experiences Above Patong Beach
When travelers search for Michelin Guide restaurants in Phuket, two names on the same hillside keep surfacing: Tambu Phuket and Sizzle Rooftop Restaurant, both located at Avista Hideaway Phuket Patong – MGallery Collection above Patong Beach.
The pairing is unusual, and the credentials behind it are not.
Tambu is a 2026 Michelin Guide-selected progressive Indian restaurant led by Iron Chef Thailand winner Chef Saurabh Sachdeva. His eight-course charcoal tasting menu has accumulated a remarkable run of recognition: Asia’s Best New Restaurant in 2024, Asia’s Best Indian Cuisine Restaurant at the 2025 World Culinary Awards, a category that drew nominees from Singapore, Hong Kong, India and Indonesia, a top-six ranking on Phuket’s Top 25 Restaurants list, and a place in the Tatler Best Spotlight Thailand 2026, the publication’s annual selection of venues redefining experiential cuisine across the Thailand.
Sizzle is a different proposition entirely. Featured in the Michelin Guide 2026, it is an open-air steak and seafood grill where Chef Alvaro de la Puerta works a traditional brick charcoal grill, serving Australian and Japanese A5 wagyu, live Phuket lobster pulled from on-site tanks, and fire-cooked dishes to guests with the Andaman Sea spread out before them.
Together, they give Avista Hideaway something most luxury hotels cannot offer: two award-recognised restaurants with entirely different identities, on the same rooftop, above the same forest, overlooking the same sea.
This article covers what each restaurant offers, what the Michelin recognition actually means, practical booking information, and what to expect before you arrive.
What “Michelin Guide Selected” Means in Phuket
Phuket’s Michelin Guide entry is recent, the island was first covered in 2023, and the landscape is still developing. As of 2026, Phuket has one Michelin-starred restaurant (PRU at Trisara), 18 Bib Gourmand listings for high-quality affordable dining, and a growing selection of Michelin Guide-selected restaurants, a category the Guide describes as places serving food worth stopping for, evaluated independently using the same five global criteria as starred venues.
Both Tambu and Sizzle hold Michelin Selected status. Tambu was first listed in the Michelin Guide Thailand 2025 and retained its listing in 2026. Sizzle appears in the Michelin Guide 2026 selection. This is meaningful recognition in a guide that now covers over 50 Phuket restaurants, the majority do not make the list.
Tambu Restaurant Phuket
Tambu Phuket: Progressive Indian Charcoal Cuisine
The name Tambu means “tent” in Hindi, and the space delivers on it. The restaurant sits within an open-sided tented structure on the rooftop of Avista Hideaway, designed to evoke the palatial travelling camps of Mughal emperors. Lantern light filters through embroidered fabric panels, charcoal smoke drifts from the open kitchen, and the Andaman Sea fills the horizon. It is a deliberately theatrical setting, and the food matches it.
The Chef
Saurabh Sachdeva, Tambu’s executive chef, grew up in Punjab and trained under a Michelin-starred chef before earning the Iron Chef Thailand title. His cooking philosophy centres on progressive charcoal cuisine: traditional Indian flavours reworked with modern technique, cooked over open flames or in custom charcoal ovens that give every dish a signature smoky depth. He sources produce from Tambu’s own organic garden, uses sustainable Andaman seafood, and features biodynamic wines alongside the tasting menu.
The signature format is an eight-course tasting menu. Standout dishes include the Shiso Leaf Chaat, a yogurt-snow amuse-bouche resting on a Japanese shiso leaf, the Butter Garlic Slipper Lobster and Crab Kulcha from the seafood courses, and the Lamb Chop Barrah and Ghee Roast Mutton for meat courses. The sequence closes with Mithai, a refined dessert course incorporating saffron-soaked Rasmalai and mango ice cream. A full vegetarian eight-course menu runs in parallel, built around dishes like Asparagus Shammi and Galouti.
Chef Sachdeva’s menu receives consistent praise from guests and critics for the balance of bold spice with restrained presentation. The Michelin inspector’s note describes the kitchen as one that “respects the diversity and tradition of Indian cuisine” while crafting “aromatic plates packed with spices and enhanced by a smoky flavour.”
Tambu Quick Facts
| Michelin status | Michelin Guide Selected 2025 & 2026 |
|---|---|
| Other awards | Asia’s Best New Restaurant 2024 | Asia’s Best Indian Cuisine Restaurant 2025 (World Culinary Awards) | #6 Top 25 Restaurants Phuket | Thailand’s Favourite Restaurant 2025 & 2026 | Tatler Best Spotlight Thailand 2026 |
| Chef | Saurabh Sachdeva (Iron Chef Thailand winner) |
| Cuisine | Progressive Indian charcoal cuisine |
| Menu format | 8-course tasting menu (omnivore & vegetarian); à la carte available Sat–Sun lunch |
| Seating capacity | 50 covers |
| Hours | Daily 6 pm – 11 pm | Sat & Sun lunch 12 pm – 2:30 pm |
| Reservations | tambuphuket.com | +66 (0)95 834 7208 | Booking – Website | Advance booking strongly recommended |
| Location | Avista Hideaway Phuket Patong – MGallery, 39/9 Muen-Ngern Rd, Patong, Kathu, Phuket 83150 |
To make a reservation, click the link below;
Sizzle Rooftop Bar | Steak | Seafood
Sizzle Rooftop Restaurant: Premium Steaks, Andaman Seafood & Sunset Cocktails
Across a small expanse from Tambu, Sizzle occupies the same elevated hillside position with the same panoramic views, but the experience is entirely different. Where Tambu is intimate and theatrical, Sizzle is open-air, lively, and built around the pleasures of a great fire-cooked meal eaten while the sun disappears into the Andaman Sea.
The Michelin inspector put it plainly: the kitchen “keeps things simple yet shows confidence,” delivering “clean, bold flavours” from a precisely charred grill. Prices are above average for Phuket but the inspector considered them fair given the quality and the setting.
The Chef and Concept
Chef Alvaro de la Puerta leads the Sizzle kitchen. His menu draws on Spanish, French and Italian grilling traditions, anchored by a traditional brick charcoal grill that gives the meat and seafood a distinctive depth. The theatrical element at Sizzle begins before you order: a live tank of Phuket lobsters and sustainably caught Andaman fish greets guests on arrival, allowing them to select their seafood directly.
The Menu
The menu is built around two pillars. On the meat side, the centrepiece is Wagyu beef, both Australian grain-fed, aged to a minimum of 400 days, and Japanese A5 wagyu striploin, served from the brick grill. On the seafood side, signature dishes include lobster platters, tiger prawn and crab starters, and a highly rated seafood tower. Appetisers include crispy Ibérico croquettes, beef tartare made from Australian wagyu MB5, and elevated shellfish preparations. Desserts range from a tableside tiramisu to warm sticky toffee pudding.
The cocktail programme is led by Arjun Ghai, Group Bar Manager for Avista Hotels and a global cocktail competition winner. His signature creations include smoky tiki drinks and sundowner cocktails designed around Phuket’s golden-hour light.
Michelin-starred Chef Pichava “Pam”
World Cocktail Month 2026: The Chef Pam Collaboration
As part of the global MGallery Collection World Cocktail Month programme, Sizzle partnered with Chef Pichaya “Pam” Soontornyanakij for a limited-run cocktail menu in 2026. Chef Pam, chef-owner of Potong in Bangkok, ranked #13 in Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants 2025, was named The World’s Best Female Chef 2025 by The World’s 50 Best Restaurants, becoming the first Asian chef to receive the award in its 14-year history. Her restaurant also holds a Michelin star.
The collaboration translated her progressive Thai-Chinese flavour philosophy into a cocktail format: bold, aromatic, ingredient-led drinks designed to be as narratively layered as her food. Guests experienced the collection alongside Sizzle’s usual menu, with the collaboration running during
Sizzle Quick Facts
| Michelin status | Michelin Guide Selected 2026 |
|---|---|
| Other awards | TOP25 Restaurants Excellence in Grilled Specialities 2024 | World Luxury Restaurant Awards Country Winner 2017 | Global Winner – Luxury Scenic Setting 2018 |
| Chef | Alvaro de la Puerta (Spanish-inspired fire cuisine) |
| Cuisine | Premium steaks & Andaman seafood, globally inspired |
| Hours | Daily 6:00 pm – 11:00 pm (bar from 5:30 pm) |
| Reservations | sizzlerooftopphuket.com | +66 95 834 0453 | Booking – Website | Walk-ins welcome but advance booking recommended |
| Location | Avista Hideaway Phuket Patong – MGallery, 39/9 Muen-Ngern Rd, Patong, Kathu, Phuket 83150 |
To make a reservation, click the link below;
Sizzle Rooftop Bar. Steak. Seafood Reservation
The Setting: Why the Arrival Matters
Both restaurants sit above Patong’s coastline at roughly 100 metres elevation, accessed via a winding hillside road through jungle and tropical gardens. The resort’s position means the energy of Patong’s beach strip, visible and audible from the shoreline, becomes a distant backdrop rather than an interruption. This transition, from the pace of the town to the quiet of the hillside, is something guests consistently mention in reviews as unexpectedly affecting.
Avista Hideaway Phuket Patong – MGallery Collection operates 150 Thai-inspired rooms and suites across the hillside property. Diners visiting solely for Tambu or Sizzle are welcome; the resort also offers an Accor Live Limitless benefit of 10% savings at both restaurants for members booking direct.
Phuket’s Dining Scene in Context
Phuket has changed considerably as a culinary destination since Michelin first arrived on the island in 2023. The guide now covers 56 restaurants across the island, with recognised venues spanning traditional southern Thai cooking, international fine dining, Michelin-starred farm-to-table menus at PRU, and the growing cluster of destination restaurants above Patong. International chefs, experiential tasting menus and rooftop venues have become established parts of the island’s identity, drawing travelers who plan trips specifically around their dining itineraries.
Within that context, Tambu and Sizzle occupy a specific niche: the combination of Michelin recognition, distinctive culinary identities, and a setting that is genuinely difficult to replicate elsewhere on the island. Few venues offer both the intimacy of a 50-cover tasting menu restaurant and a full open-air grill and bar within the same destination.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need to be a hotel guest to dine at Tambu or Sizzle?
No. Both restaurants accept reservations from outside guests. The Avista Hideaway hotel is situated on a hillside a short drive from central Patong; taxis and ride-share services access the resort easily. Advance reservations are strongly recommended for Tambu and advisable for Sizzle, particularly during Phuket’s high season (November–April).
What is the difference between Tambu and Sizzle?
Tambu is a structured, intimate dining experience: an eight-course Indian tasting menu served in an enclosed rooftop tent, led by a single chef’s vision, best suited to guests who want a complete evening built around the food. Sizzle is a relaxed, open-air grill and bar: best suited to guests who want to eat and drink well while watching the sunset, with flexibility to order à la carte or stay for cocktails only. Both share the same hilltop views but deliver very different experiences.
Which Michelin Guide restaurants are in Phuket?
As of the Michelin Guide Thailand 2026, Phuket has 56 listed restaurants: one Michelin Star (PRU), two Green Stars (PRU and Jampa), 18 Bib Gourmand recognitions, and the remainder as Michelin Selected. Notable Selected listings include Tambu, Sizzle, hom at InterContinental, Jaras, Buabok at Amanpuri, and several traditional Thai and seafood venues across the island.
What are the best rooftop restaurants in Patong?
Tambu and Sizzle at Avista Hideaway are the most recognised Michelin Guide rooftop dining venues in Patong. Both offer panoramic views across the Andaman Sea from the same hillside location. Sizzle is better suited to sunset cocktails and casual dinners; Tambu to special-occasion tasting menus.
Planning Your Visit
Tambu and Sizzle occupy opposite ends of the rooftop dining spectrum, one a focused, chef-driven tasting menu in a Mughal-inspired tent, the other a sociable grill with a live lobster tank and a sunset bar. The practical answer for many visitors is both: a cocktail and appetiser at Sizzle before sunset, followed by dinner at Tambu on a separate evening. The resort’s hillside location means both venues benefit from the same elevated Andaman view, and both carry the independent endorsement of the Michelin Guide.
Tambu: tambuphuket.com | +66 (0)95 834 7208
Sizzle: sizzlerooftopphuket.com | +66 95 834 0453
Resort: avistahideawayphuketresort.com
01
